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All is not well at Celtic right now.

On the pitch, the Hoops were ignominiously dumped out of Champions League qualifying by Kairat, ousted on penalties in Almaty after over three and a half hours of drab, goalless football, before the most dull Old Firm derby in history at Ibrox last Sunday.

Supporters would argue that this is the metaphorical chickens coming home to roost, concerned all summer long about the Celts’ lack of attacking quality, given that Kyōgo Furuhashi, Nicolas Kühn and Matt O’Riley have not been sufficiently replaced.

So, following protests at a charity match against Manchester United legends on Saturday, the club issued an official statement that did nothing to quell dissenting voices, with the names of no individuals attached to the rambling statement, taking no accountability or responsibility for a transfer window many believe to be the club’s worst in modern times.

Thus, Brendan Rodgers has been left massively short ahead of a Europa League campaign that begins against Crvena zvezda in Belgrade later this month, so how he must wish the Hoops hadn’t sold Celtic’s “god of goals” for just £4m.

Celtic's catastrophic striker situation

On deadline day, having failed to replace Kyōgo, who departed in January, Celtic sold their only remaining centre-forward Adam Idah to Swansea City for around £7m, representing a £2.5m loss on the Irishman in just 12 months, but they actually did well to recoup such a large amount, following an underwhelming campaign.

As reports of this sale emerged, supporters thought that the Celtic hierarchy must have a replacement lined up, or at least that’s what one would assume.

The Hoops number one target was Kasper Dolberg but, after haggling over the price, Anderlecht instead sold him to Ajax for a reported fee of €10m (around £8.7m), with the Denmark international re-joining the Amsterdam-based giants.

The window then duly slammed shut, and Celtic did not have a striker, meaning they had 24 hours to secure a free agent, if they were to be included in their UEFA squad.

Emmanuel Dennis and Patrick Bamford were among the underwhelming names mentioned, but they instead secured Kelechi Iheanacho, albeit only after Sevilla had terminated his contract to facilitate the move, emphasising how wanted he was in Southern Spain.

The Nigerian actually scored against Celtic for Manchester City back in December 2016, as the pair drew 1-1 in the Champions League.

Once highly rated, Iheanacho’s career has essentially fallen off a cliff in recent years, scoring just 26 goals across the last four seasons, having netted 19 times during the 2020/21 campaign prior to this decline.

So, how Celtic supporters must wish they still had the forgotten goal machine from the Postecoglou era.

Celtic's "god of goals"

Giorgos Giakoumakis was not at Celtic for a long time, but he certainly made his mark in Glasgow.

In just 57 appearances in hoops, the Greece international scored 26 goals, averaging a goal every 97 minutes, winning the Premiership golden boot during his only full season at Parkhead.

However, unable to secure a regular starting spot due to Kyōgo’s presence, imagine having depth like that now, he was sold to Atlanta United for around £4m in March 2023.

Since then, Giakoumakis has become something of a globe-trotter, leaving Atlanta after less than 18 months in MLS, sold to Cruz Azul for $10m (around £7.4m), albeit he did not live up to expectations in Mexico City, returning to his homeland this summer by signing for PAOK on loan.

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Well, he has made an immediate impact in Thessaloniki, on target off the bench during a 5-0 victory over HNK Rijeka last month, a victory at Toumba Stadium that secured PAOK’s place in the Europa League.

Following Giakoumakis’ arrival in Major League Soccer, Jaime Uribarri labelled him the “Greek God of goals”, while Tom Bogert simply noted that, wherever he goes, the striker “just scores goals”, a useful skillset for a centre-forward to possess.

So, let’s assess how his recent seasons compare to Celtic’s latest centre-forward Iheanacho.

2025/26

0

1

2024/25

4

9

2023/24

6

5

2022/23

8

28

2021/22

8

17

2020/21

19

29

Total

45

89

As the table documents, across the last five seasons, and the start of this one, Giakoumakis has scored almost twice as many goals as Iheanacho, who hasn’t reached double figures in a single campaign since lockdown when he was at Leicester.

More recently, the Nigerian international endured a miserable loan spell at Middlesbrough this time last year, before scoring just three goals for Sevilla, all of which came in the Copa del Rey, bagging a brace against fifth-tier Las Rozas, before also scoring against UE Olot of the fourth division, but bagging no goals in La Liga.

Having worked with him before, Rodgers will believe he can resurrect Iheanacho’s form and confidence, but this is certainly a gamble, while Giakoumakis guarantees goals, so what a difference the Greek striker would make to this current Celtic side.

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New Zealand captain says his side is well aware of Varun’s threats, having faced him in the group-stage match

Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Mar-20253:34

Mitchell Santner on Varun Chakravarthy: ‘We know what his threats are now’

There are many experienced players in the India team that New Zealand men’s side will be wary of in the Champions Trophy final. But one of their most inexperienced players will also loom large on the minds of New Zealand’s batters.Varun Chakravarthy has played all of three ODIs, but in that stretch, he has got eight wickets, and averages 18.12. By far his best haul came against New Zealand, in these teams’ final group match, when on a big-turning track, he claimed 5 for 42, with several New Zealand batters unable to pick him.In fact it’s not only New Zealand’s own batters. On Friday evening, two days out from the final, Chakravarthy was even seen bamboozling no less a player than Virat Kohli in the nets at the ICC Academy. Chakravarthy had followed up his five-for against New Zealand with another solid outing against Australia, on a track less given to spin, in the semi-final. He took 2 for 49 from 10 overs.Related

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Having seen him once already could make it easier for the batters to handle him, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said on the eve of the final.”I think guys will be better for the run against Varun. He’s obviously a world-class bowler we’ve seen it here and in the IPL. He’s got that little bit of mystery. But it was the first time some of the guys have been facing him. I think they’ll learn from the other day.”Santner got a particularly vicious delivery from Chakravarthy in the group match, one that was flat and fast, and yet took substantial turn to take out his off stump.Varun Chakravarthy picked up five wickets against New Zealand•ICC via Getty Images

“If the pitch plays a similar way, it’s going to be a challenge along with all three of their other spinners. I think the boys will be ready for tomorrow having looked at a little bit more footage. We know what his threats are now. That 115kph arm ball, that got me – that was a bit of a threat.”While Chakravarthy is India’s top spin-bowling wicket-taker in the tournament, their other three spinners have also prospered on a turning Dubai track. Axar Patel has five wickets for the tournament, and Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja have four each. They had been effective through the middle in that previous game against New Zealand.”I think the way Axar and Jadeja denied us for a long time, it might be something similar again on a slow wicket, where it’s as if you can kind of just rotate and hit the odd bad ball away, you can get yourself up to a decent score,” Santner said.”We’ve got some good players of spin and it’s about them trying to just play their games and whether it’s to get your broom out and sweep, or it’s to use your feet, I guess we kind of give our players the freedom to play their own way.”New Zealand have their own quartet of spinners, in Santner himself, Michael Bracewell, Glenn Phillips, and Rachin Ravindra.”On the flipside, it’s the same with us. For us it’s about trying to build pressure for a long period of time to produce a false shot.”

Australia Test allrounder Beau Webster has returned to BBL champions Hobart Hurricanes on a three-year deal, having not played for his home state’s team since 2017.Webster, 31, played five matches for Hurricanes in 2016-17, but has spent the past eight seasons in Melbourne: he was there for four seasons with Renegades, before another four with Stars.But having played his entire domestic career for his home state Tasmania, Webster will return to play for Hurricanes in the BBL over the next three seasons.Related

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“I am pumped to return to Hobart next summer for the BBL, and get the opportunity to play on a packed Ninja Stadium in front of our fans, my friends and family,” Webster said.”Vaughany [Jeff Vaughan] and Nelly [Nathan Ellis] have got the group playing a really good brand of cricket, and to see them win a championship makes me hungry to bring another one to ‘Canes fans next season.”Webster signing is an interesting move by Hurricanes given they already have seam-bowling allrounders in Mitchell Owen and Chris Jordan in the top seven of their title-winning team. Despite Webster’s outstanding first-class record, he hasn’t been as dominant in T20 cricket.He has failed to strike at more than 132 in any of his last seven BBL seasons, and it will be interesting to see how he slips into Hurricanes’ high-tempo batting unit. But Hurricanes general manager Salliann Beams was pleased to bring Webster back to Hobart.”We have seen over the past 18 months just how special of a player Beau is, and to have him re-join the Hurricanes is something that will make all Tasmanians proud to hear,” Beams said. “Beau’s skill set in the short form of the game is up there with some of the best in the country, and he can take the game away from the opposition with the bat while also providing another wicket-taking option with the ball.”His leadership will also be a vital aspect of his role at the Hurricanes, and he is great mates with the players we already have on our list, which means he will fit into what we are trying to build seamlessly.”

Stars hopeful about David, and sign Hatcher

Hurricanes are still yet to re-sign title-winning power hitter Tim David, but they are hopeful of keeping him after a successful season. But Stars are still hoping of landing him as a free agent.Meanwhile, Stars have signed New South Wales fast bowler Liam Hatcher on a two-year deal after he spent the past two seasons with Sydney Thunder. Hatcher began his BBL at Stars in 2020, playing 17 matches over two seasons before moving to Thunder in 2023. But he played just four games in his first season in 2023-24, and did not feature at all in Thunder’s run to the final in 2024-25.

Aston Villa have now submitted an offer for an “elusive” forward, with his current club open to a sale at the right price, according to a report.

Villa keen on new forward amid Man Utd's Watkins interest

Villa may have a battle on their hands trying to keep hold of Ollie Watkins this summer, given that the England international has attracted widespread interest from elsewhere, and Manchester United are becoming increasingly keen on a deal.

Ruben Amorim’s side have whittled their striker search down to just two targets, and Watkins is one of them, with the Red Devils of the belief they could be able to get a deal over the line for a relatively low sum.

Having also lost Jhon Duran in the January transfer window, there will be a serious need to bring in a new centre-forward if Watkins moves on this summer, and Unai Emery also remains keen on bringing in a new winger.

According to a report, Aston Villa have now submitted a €20m (£17m) offer for Galatasaray forward Baris Alper Yilmaz, and they have since been slowly increasing their proposal in increments of €1m to €2m.

However, Villa may have to increase their bid significantly if they are to tempt the Turkish club into a sale, as they are thought to be holding out for a fee of €40m (£35m).

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Should an offer in that region arrive, Galatasaray could be tempted to cash-in, but the Villans are not the only Premier League club in the race for his signature, with Nottingham Forest also named as potential suitors.

"Elusive" Yilmaz could be exciting signing for Villa

If Watkins departs, Emery may have to bring in multiple forwards to make up for the Englishman’s attacking contributions, and the Galatasaray star was regularly among the goals last season, picking up 12 goals and three assists in the Turkish Super Lig.

Not only is the 25-year-old a real threat going forward, but he is clearly a very well-rounded player, having performed well from a defensive point of view over the past year, while proving himself as an aerial threat.

Statistic	Average per 90
Tackles	1.97 (90th percentile)
Clearances	1.04 (84th percentile)
Aerials won	2.89 (98th percentile)

Virgil Van Dijk has also made it clear how difficult he has found it to defend against the Turk in the past, saying: “Baris Alper Yilmaz was running constantly. He was running elusive. It was difficult for every defender. He made it very hard for us.”

As a result, Yilmaz could be an exciting acquistion for Villa, but they may need to increase their offer significantly to tempt Galatasaray into a sale.

A first-team Glasgow Rangers player could now seal a return to his former club during the summer transfer window, according to their technical director.

Rangers players who could leave this summer

The Russell Martin era is now in full swing at Ibrox, with the Englishman looking to make his presence felt from the off, bringing in players who suit his style of play and selling some unwanted stars.

Ross McCausland is one player who falls into the latter category, with Aris Limassol and two teams in the MLS among the clubs who are believed to be interested in snapping up the Northern Irishman before the end of the summer transfer window.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Diomande and Nicolas Raskin could leave Rangers for pastures new if big offers arrive in the coming weeks, with Besiktas expected to submit a new bid for the former imminently, though Martin would presumably like to keep them both.

Gers centre-back Robin Propper has been a divisive figure since arriving from FC Twente, not always fully convincing the masses with his performances, and a new update has now emerged regarding his future.

Propper could swap Rangers for Twente

Speaking to De Volkskrant [via Sport Witness], Twente technical director Jan Streuer has claimed that Rangers defender Proppper could seal a return to the club this summer, should Martin not see a future for him at Ibrox.

“We had too many changes at the back last season; something had to be done. It isn’t [very simple], because of all sorts of factors beyond your control. Just before last season, our captain, Robin Propper, left at the last minute. We really missed him. Rangers bought him.

“A Scottish top club, you can’t compete with that. Now there’s a new manager at Rangers, he might play less. Then he could return. But he’ll want to wait and see first whether he’ll actually play less. Do we have to decide: do we wait for that, or do we look further?”

Opinion may be split over Propper leaving Rangers before the new Scottish Premiership season gets underway, with his one-year stint at Ibrox not exactly earth-shattering to date. Ultimately, though, the 31-year-old’s future lies with Martin, who has paid him praise in the recent past, saying he has been “really impressed” with him since coming in as manager.

Given Propper’s age, though, and the fact that he isn’t likely to be seen as a key starter moving forward – he was limited to 21 starts in the Scottish Premiership last season – now does feel like a sensible time to move him on, receiving money for him before his contract begins to tick down.

Streuer does seem to have some doubts about Twente re-signing Propper, however, and if he does end up staying at Rangers, it certainly wouldn’t be a disaster.

In a few weeks, Arsenal will begin the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, and their eyes will be riveted on the prize.

Having fallen short in each of the past three seasons, the Gunners know that this is a big one, with Mikel Arteta’s side having gone five years without silverware.

But the improvements have been vast, these recent years. A lack of trophies aside, this has been an incredible resurgence for a giant who had been cast to the wayside before.

There’s a strong case for Arsenal’s unfortunate injury record across the 2024/25 term to have impeded them in their pursuit of glory, but Arteta has revised the issues and made some impactful summer signings to take his squad to the next level.

And the months of work have now been crowned by the addition of Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres.

Why Arsenal signed Viktor Gyokeres

Technically, Gyokeres isn’t yet an official Arsenal player, but the centre-forward has been the subject of an agreed £64m deal that will see him stand as Arteta’s chief goal-getter over the coming years.

The Sweden international scored 97 goals and added 28 assists across 102 matches for Sporting, winning the Liga Portugal in both of his seasons at the club.

Aged 27, he’s in the prime of his career, described by former Coventry City coach Adi Viveash as being a “physical machine”. He has what it takes to become one of the leading Premier League strikers of his era, rivalling the best over the coming years.

Most Goals Across Europe’s Top Ten Leagues (24/25)

#

Player

Apps

Goals

1)

Viktor Gyokeres

33

39

2)

Kylian Mbappe

34

31

3)

Mohamed Salah

38

29

4)

Robert Lewandowski

34

27

5)

Victor Osimhen

30

26

5=

Harry Kane

31

26

Data via Transfermarkt

There’s no question that Gyokeres will be a fantastic signing for Arsenal, but there remains that slight uncertainty, for he has yet to ply his trade in the Premier League.

However, Arsenal are lining up another star who could prove to be an even better signing – and that’s not to Gyokeres’ discredit.

Arsenal agree fee for Premier League star

According to Football Transfers, Arsenal are confident that they will complete the signing of Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze this summer, having agreed to pay his £68m release clause through a series of manageable instalments.

Eze scored the winning goal as Palace won the FA Cup final against Manchester City last season, and has been expected to leave for a new challenge, having already agreed personal terms with the Gunners.

The £100k-per-week talent has also attracted interest from Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, but it’s Arteta’s side who are set to enjoy his qualities next season and beyond, should the finer details of the transfer go through without a hitch.

What Eberechi Eze would bring to Arsenal

Like Gyokeres, Eze is 27, and would provide the Gunners with maturity and completeness of development. The Three Lions star’s 2024/25 season proved to the world that he has what it takes to become a star member of one of Europe’s elite outfits.

Pundit Rio Ferdinand hailed his “unique” style of play back in March, going on to claim he could “play for one of the top teams” in the world.

A dribble-happy attacking midfielder, Eze’s low centre of gravity, immense core strength and skilled passing game make him a difficult opponent indeed, with so many different ways to hurt his opponents.

Typically used as a left-sided midfielder by Oliver Glasner over the past 18 months, Eze completed 82% of his passes in the Premier League last term, as per Sofascore, while averaging two dribbles, 1.7 key passes and 4.8 successful duels per game, underscoring his roundedness.

Eberechi Eze – Crystal Palace Career by Position

Position

Apps

Goals

Assists

Attacking midfield

74

25

11

Left winger

52

9

7

Central midfield

25

6

3

Right winger

3

0

0

Data via Transfermarkt

His ability to shift, seamlessly, between the left flank and a more central attacking position bespeaks his sharpness and intelligence. Eze, in this regard, could plug two holes for Arteta, with both Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli linked with moves away this summer.

While Eze has become more potent over the past few years, he remains a robust physical profile who could dynamise the club’s overall attacking build-up.

As per FBref, he ranked last season among the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe for shot-creating actions, the top 10% for successful take-ons and the top 14% for ball recoveries per 90.

There’s no question that Gyokeres would bring to Arsenal a newfound degree of goalscoring quality, but there’s also no doubt that Eze has a skill set so impressive that he could come to nail down a starting berth on the left flank and emerge as one of Arteta’s most trusted lieutenants.

Will Arsenal’s soon-to-be-sealed striker hit the ground running in England’s top flight? Will he manage to retain that same level of destructive brilliance in tougher conditions, against steelier defenders?

These are the questions, and we shall soon find out. In any case, Eze has built himself up over a number of years in Europe’s highest-quality division, and, of course, with Gyokeres as a target man in the middle, both could enjoy the fruits of each other’s labours.

In Gyokeres, Arsenal will secure the centre-forward they have desired over the past several years. However, Eze might prove to be the better signing, all things considered.

His higher fee reflects that, and so does the consistency for Palace in the Premier League over the past five years, even leading analyst Ben Mattinson to call him a “superstar”.

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Australian allrounder set to return home for knee surgery

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jul-2024

Eathan Bosch plays for Pretoria Capitals in the SA20•SA 20

Essex have signed Eathan Bosch for the second half of their Vitality T20 Blast campaign after Australia allrounder Daniel Sams was ruled out through injury.Sams, who was the Blast’s MVP in 2023 as Essex finished as runners-up to Somerset, suffered a knee injury playing against Sussex during the first block of group games. With surgery required, he will now return home rather than staying on for the rest of the Blast as planned.Speaking to Essex’s YouTube channel he said that the injury may require “four to six months’ recovery”, which could impact on his availability for the 2024-25 Big Bash League.”It’s been great [to come back here],” Sams said after his third spell at Chelmsford. “My wife and I really enjoy coming back here, and we’ve made some really good friends with the guys and their partners.”It is what it is. I’ve been pretty lucky throughout my career with injuries, so I’ll just have to go home now and recover as best as I can.”Sams had taken seven wickets in six appearances this season, having been a key factor in Essex’s run to Finals Day last summer. They currently six fourth in the South Group, with five wins from eight games.Bosch, 26, was initially brought in for four Championship games and has so far picked up eight wickets at 24.12 from two appearances. A former South Africa Under-19, he has experience of playing in the SA20 for Pretoria Capitals.Essex are next in action when they host defending champions Somerset at Chelmsford on Friday night.

Regis Le Bris enjoyed what can only be described as a dream debut season as Sunderland manager.

Many Black Cats bosses have come and gone in quick succession in recent years as promotion to the Premier League has evaded them.

But, in the Frenchman’s case, it was a first-attempt job, with the ex-Lorient head coach now eager to prove himself in England’s elite league after an up-and-down stint in Ligue 1.

He will know that a stern defence will be key if Sunderland stand any chance of beating the punishing drop, with a new defensive brute reportedly now on his shopping list to toughen up the Wearside underdogs.

Sunderland considering move for 6-foot-3 colossus

The Championship playoffs did showcase Sunderland’s excellence in the centre-back department with Daniel Ballard taking his team to Wembley with a last-gasp header versus Coventry City, whilst loan ace Chris Mepham would complete a whopping 12 clearances against Sheffield United in total to shut out the annoyed Blades.

But another centre-back could soon join the building in the form of ex-West Bromwich Albion brute Cedric Kipre. Football outlet Africa Foot states that Le Bris and Co view the Ivorian as a serious option after promotion.

Whilst the 6-foot-3 colossus is well known to EFL fans for his imperious displays with the Baggies, he is just fresh off a season in the French top-flight with Stade De Reims. This venture might well have ended in relegation, but it bodes well for Kipre not finding the Premier League daunting.

How Kipre can be Ballard 2.0 for Sunderland

Regardless of his time out in Ligue 1, his standout showings in the Championship earn enough merit on their own, with his authoritative approach out from the back – matched by his ability to pop up with a crucial header – meaning he could become Ballard 2.0 for Le Bris.

He also shone in spurts for Reims despite relegation, with the headed effort above unfortunately just not enough to keep Samba Diawara’s men afloat.

Away from this unfortunate relegation on his CV, though, Kipre has proven himself in the past as a brave battler in the challenging second tier of English football, with the Baggies left gutted by the 28-year-old’s decision to depart the Hawthorns last summer.

Games played

44

20

Goals scored

2

2

Assists

1

1

Touches*

67.1

47

Accurate passes*

48.9 (87%)

33.2 (88%)

Ball recoveries*

4.3

2.3

Clearances*

3.7

4.0

Total duels won*

4.2

4.6

Clean sheets

14

2

Looking at the table above, Kipre was a rock-solid option for the Carlos Corberan-led Baggies, with a mightily impressive 14 clean sheets notched up from 44 clashes.

Further, the table shows off the similarities between the defensive duo, with both Ballard and Kipre chipping in with three goal contributions each, away from also being able to valiantly battle away with duels, winning a similar number.

Much like Ballard, too, the current Reims number 21 has had to bounce back from plenty of Premier League rejection, with his early career seeing him be let go of by Leicester City.

The Sunderland titan also had to wave goodbye to Arsenal to join the Stadium of Light, but he will now have a shot at top-flight redemption on Wearside next season.

Kipre will also fancy his chances at being a formidable presence for Le Bris’ outsiders, having once been labelled as “one of the best defenders in the division” by the Second Tier podcast when plying his trade in the EFL’s top league.

Now, it’s up to the “fantastic” defender – as he’s also been labelled by football journalist Josh Bunting – to earn his stripes up a league, with Kipre having the potential to be as loved as Ballard if his brick-wall presence allows safety to be secured.

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Rangers have reportedly sent scouts to watch a young striker in action, with the player in question having a release clause of just £42,000.

Rangers eyeing signings amid manager search

The Gers’ search for their next permanent manager continues, with Barry Ferguson expected to move on from his interim role at the end of the season. Russell Martin has been mentioned as an option in recent days, with the Englishman a talented young coach, despite being sacked by Southampton earlier in the season.

Current Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl has also emerged as a contender to come in as Rangers’ next manager, with the German looking increasingly likely to depart Hillsborough when the current campaign reaches its conclusion. Southampton are also reportedly keen on him, though.

England legends Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard have both been mentioned, too, with the latter impressively guiding Coventry City into the Championship playoffs this season.

In terms of possible new signings, Kevin Boma has been backed to join Rangers this summer, as they look to boost their defensive options. The Estoril centre-back has enjoyed a good season, averaging 2.9 aerial duel wins per game across 27 Primeira Liga appearances.

Rangers send scouts to watch young attacker

According to 24Sports [via Ibrox News], Rangers have watched Anorthosis striker Evagoras Charalampous in his last three appearances, with scouts sent to monitor him. The 19-year-old has a release clause of just £42,000 and the Gers are now weighing up the idea of triggering it this summer and bringing him to Ibrox.

Charalampous isn’t exactly a world-renowned name who Rangers supporters will know a huge amount about, but the young Cypriot has already scored five goals in 16 appearances for Anorthosis, making the jump up to senior level impressively, and he is a three-cap Cyprus Under-21 international, netting once in that time.

Meanwhile, Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg has said that Charalampous is “regarded as one of the top striker talents in Cyprus”, further highlighting why Rangers like the look of him.

Additional firepower is something the Gers need to focus on in the summer transfer window, giving their new manager more options in the final third and hopefully allowing them to narrow the gap on Celtic that has been so evident in the Scottish Premiership throughout this season.

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Cyriel Dessers is Rangers’ top goalscorer in the league with 15 strikes this season, which shows there has been no prolific attacker for them, and they could see Charalampous as a future star.

Tottenham Hotspur are now prepared to offload a top-performing regular this summer in a bid to reshape the squad and raise funds, with his replacement already there.

Tottenham make transfer plans amid Ange Postecoglou uncertainty

Right now, it is being reported that under-fire boss Ange Postecoglou is facing the Spurs axe at the end of this Premier League campaign, which could happen regardless of whether they end up winning the Europa League.

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This news comes courtesy of reliable journalist Matt Law and other credible media sources, with a parting of the ways becoming increasingly likely after Tottenham suffered their eighteenth Premier League defeat of the season against Nottingham Forest on Easter Monday.

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

While the Lilywhites have a major chance to clinch their first piece of silverware in 17 years, that still may not be enough to save Postecoglou after a dismal domestic season, but their problems lie beyond just the manager.

Tottenham’s lack of strength in depth when compared to their elite Premier League rivals was exposed time and time again this season, thanks to the plethora of injuries to key players throughout 2024/2025, so this is an issue which needs addressing in the summer.

“[The top clubs have] been doing it many years. They know exactly what they’re doing,” said winger Dejan Kuluseviski, who criticised Spurs’ transfer policy.

“They’re bringing in a lot of players that are ready to play both competitions. And they are prepared for it.

“This year we cannot say that we’re prepared for it because we had so many injuries, and we did a lot of things wrong from the beginning of the season, and we’re paying for it right now.”

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, in a piece for The Boot Room, Tottenham are planning to strengthen “almost all areas” of the squad in the next transfer window, but they must first raise funds.

Tottenham "ready to sell" Pedro Porro and replace him with Djed Spence

Bailey also writes that star right-back Pedro Porro could be among the players sacrificed, with the emergence of 24-year-old Djed Spence as an impressive full-back option handing Spurs a ready-made replacement for the Spaniard.

Tottenham are apparently “ready to sell” Porro and bolster their transfer kitty, but will demand north of £50 million for the ex-Man City and Sporting Lisbon defender as Levy eyes a small profit on the £40 million they paid for him.

While Porro has impressed, Spurs’ need to reinforce multiple areas of the squad is taking centre stage, and Spence has showcased that he’s more than capable of being entrusted with a regular starting spot on either flank.

The 25-year-old has been called “sensational” for some of his performances since joining Tottenham from Sporting when Antonio Conte was in charge, and he was a target for Real Madrid before Los Blancos eventually turned full attention to Trent Alexander-Arnold.